Lancashire

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New Burnley head coach Fabio Celestini will have a hard introduction to English football with the Clarets languishing down in 22nd in the Championship table.

However, Swiss football journalist Lucas Werder thinks while he lacks direct experience in England, the 50-year-old has found success in a similar situation that might just prove fruitful for his new club.

"I think you can compare this situation with the situation he came into in Basel," Werder told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"They were probably the biggest club in the country, were sitting at the bottom of the table when he took over. He secured them in the first season and then in the second season he won the title with them.

"He knows how to bring a club up from the bottom to the top and it could be something to bring some hope to the Burnley fans."

Watch the full interview below.

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We asked for your thoughts after Burnley hired Fabio Celestini to replace sacked boss Nicky Hayen.

The Swiss head coach has not managed in England before but won the league and cup double in Switzerland with Basel in 2024-25.

Celestini also won the Russian Super Cup in 2025 in his previous job with CSKA Moscow.

Here are a selection of your responses:

Peter R: So we sack one manager who nobody had ever heard of and who had no experience of English football, then appoint another who nobody has ever heard of and who has no experience of English football. Makes a lot of sense! The board has lost the plot.

Fiona: He looks like the kind of guy who won't stand for any nonsense, which is exactly what we need.

Tom H: The likelihood is that Celestini could easily be just another Hayen. Burnley's future depends on having a manager familiar with English football at the highest level - now. Burnley are not going to attract gifted foreign coaches with that experience, so that means the replacement coach had to be British. Pace and his inept gang strike again!

Rich: Massive gamble from Alan Pace to appoint Celestini. His management record doesn't speak highly of him, except at Basel. Not sure I'm keen on his time in Russia either, but I'm prepared to keep football and politics separate, especially if he steers us to a win on Saturday and then takes us up the table. Massive job ahead to get our "team" sorted.

Steve: This appointment just goes to prove what the fans think. These owners have no idea whatsoever and will ruin the club financially and status wise. The second manager/coach with absolutely no experience of the English game or the Championship. I for one will not be renewing my season ticket. Not because I'm not 100% supporting Burnley but it's the only way I can protest about Pace and his financial idiots ruining the club I have supported since the 1960s. So sad!!

Tom M: Another completely unproven manager with a pretty dire record aside from his last two roles. Either inspired or utter stupidity.

Peter W: Needed a coach with Championship experience. How will Celestini prepare the players for games at Millwall, Portsmouth or Sheffield United? Not to mention that lot up the road! Unfortunately I think we'll be looking for another manager come January.

Shaun: We have now replaced one unknown manager with no previous experience of coaching in England, let alone the Championship, with another. ALK have no idea what they are doing and the only direction they are taking the club is down! We needed an experienced Championship manager to stabilise the club.

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Preston North End boss Graham Alexander says free agent Greg Docherty has "been on the club's radar" after training with the side this week.

The 30-year-old former Hull City and Hamilton Academical midfielder has been without a club since leaving Charlton this summer, last playing a professional match during the Addicks' Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur in August.

"It was just a case of him [Docherty] coming in having a look at us and us having a look at him, and we will see how it progresses," Alexander told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"He looks in good shape. He's been a captain, he's been a promotion winner, he's got a voice, he's got experience - he's still got hunger.

"He sees this as a top club at a great level, and he would love to be a part of it."

Left-back Caleb Wiley will feature in the squad for their trip to Stoke City on Saturday (12:30 GMT) after training for a full week.

The American returned to the side from a five-match absence as an unused substitute against West Bromwich Albion on the weekend.

"It was good to have him on the bench, so it's great that he's trained the full week," Alexander said.

"We are just trying to ascertain where his best position is for us and what his best attributes are for us and get him up to speed because he's missed a few of our first weeks."

Listen to the full interview below or on BBC Sounds here.

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A new era begins at Turf Moor as Portsmouth visit Burnley seeking to heap more woe on the Clarets on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Fabio Celestini has been appointed as Burnley boss in the wake of Nicky Hayen's departure following Saturday's abject 4-1 defeat at Lincoln which left the Clarets third-bottom with just one win in their opening 12 games and without a home win in more than 12 months.

Pompey have climbed into the top-half off the back of a run of 10 points from four games, culminating in the 2-1 win over Millwall last time out, and another victory here could see them climb into the top-six depending on other results.

• Burnley are unbeaten across their past three league games against Portsmouth (W2 D1), they haven't gone four unbeaten in this fixture before.

• Portsmouth have lost just one of their past eight away league games against Burnley (W4 D3), though that did come on their last visit to Turf Moor, a 2-1 defeat in September 2024.

• Burnley are winless in their past 21 home league games (D10 L11). Only Sheffield Wednesday (23 between 2025 and 2026) have ever had a longer run in English Football League history.

• Portsmouth have lost just one of their past eight league games (W4 D3), having lost three of their first four in the Championship this season.

• Burnley have conceded six goals from corners and nine goals from set piece situations in general in the Championship so far this season – both the highest totals of any side in the competition.

Four days after sacking Nicky Hayen, Burnley have wasted little time in bringing in Fabio Celestini to replace him as their new head coach.

The 50-year-old from Switzerland won the domestic double in his home country with FC Basel in the 2024-25 season and has never managed in English football.

So, are Clarets fans excited to see what Celestini can bring to the table, or has his appointment raised more questions than answers?

Let us know your thoughts here and come back later to see a selection of your responses.

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancashire sport editor

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It's all change at Turf Moor.

Saturday's crushing 4-1 defeat by Lincoln City proved to be the final straw for Nicky Hayen, whose reign came to an end after a nightmare start to Burnley's return to the Championship.

By Monday, the club had moved quickly, appointing Diego Lopez as chief football officer and handing him the task of finding a manager capable of sparking an immediate turnaround.

It soon became clear that Rob Edwards, the early favourite, wasn't going to take the role, and attention quickly shifted to Fabio Celestini.

The 50-year-old former Switzerland international arrives having won silverware with Basel and, most recently, CSKA Moscow. Now, though, he faces arguably the toughest challenge of his managerial career.

Burnley have won just one league game all season and are desperately searching for momentum.

Celestini's first opportunity to make his mark comes on Saturday, when Portsmouth visit Turf Moor, with the Clarets looking to end their wait for a home league win that has stretched beyond a year.